Oscillator



June 7, 1932. 1.. J. BUTTOLPH OSCILLATOR Original Filed Dec. 11, 1926 Patented June 7, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LEROY J. BUTTOLPH, F GRANTWOOD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIG-NOR T0 GENERAL ELEG- NEW JERSEY TRIC VAIOIR LAMP COMPANY, OF HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF OSCILLATOR Original application filed December 11, 1526, Serial No. 154,065. Dividedand this application filed December 7, 1928. Serial No. 324,567.

The present invention relates to a spark gap and condenser unit for use particularly in high frequency oscillating circuits and for use in the electrical arts generally.

Various objects and advantages of the invention will be obvious from the following particular description of forms of apparatus embodying the invention or from an inspection of the accompanying drawing. The invention consists in certain new and novel features of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing there is shown for purposes of illustration one form of apparatus with certain modifications thereof embodying the invention, in which Fig. 1 is a section view in elevation illustrating somewhat diagrammatically an embodiment of the invention and part of a circuit in which it is connected,

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view along the line 22 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows,

Figs. 3 and 4 are elevation section views of alternate embodiments of the invention.

In Figs. 1 and 2 the sealed envelope 1 which is of glass, fused quartz or the like, carries a body of mercury 3 with which contacts the lead-in 4 sealed through the envelope wall. A second lead-in 6 sealed in from the opposite end of the envelope carries a spark terminal 8 positioned in operative relation to said body of mercury 3. A condenser plate 10 of tinfoil or other suitable material is mounted on the interior surface of said envelope 1, is spaced away from said lead-in 6, and extends below the surface of said body of mercury 3 and thereby contacts with said lead-in 4. A cooperating condenser plate 12 is mounted on the outer wall of the envelope 1. This device is suitable for use in various oscillating circuits and for connections in various combinations with current sources and with other electrical apparatus such as inductances, condensers and so on well known in the art. In Fig. 1 are indicated parts of a circuit in which the unit above described is connected and in which the leads 14 and 16 connect the lead-ins 4 and 6 to a suitable source 50 of varying or alternating current not shown and the inductance coil 18 is connected in series between said lead-in 6 and said condenser plate 12.

In Fig. 3 the envelope 20 has an extended lower surface on the interior of which rests the body of mercury 21 which serves to provide static condensing surfaces and also serves as a spark gap electrode, connection therefrom being made by the sealed in lead 22 which extends into the body thereof. A

coating 24 of tinfoil or other suitable material on the outside surface of said envelope 20 in operative relation to said mercury 21 serves as a cooperating condenser member. The sealed in lead 26 has a terminal 28 which is spaced apart from said mercury 21 and cooperates therewith to form a spark gap. Connection is made from lead-ins 22 and 26 to mains 30 and 32 respectively of an oscillating circuit and from plate 24 through the inductance 34 to said main 32.

The device of Fig. 4 is somewhat similar to that of Fig. 3 except that the body of mercury 36 is extended vertically instead of horizontally. With this body of mercury 36 there cooperates a condenser couple, the outer coating 38 extending up the lateral sides of the envelope 40. The sealed in lead 42 is connected to a main 44 and on the inside of the envelope to said mercury 36 and a main 46 connects to the spark gap lead-in 48, and through the inductance 50 to said condenser plate 38.

In any of these devices there is preferably used a material or atmosphere for quenching the spark and this material is either a filling of hydrogen, or alcohol vapor preferably at a pressure in the neighborhood of atmospheric pressure.

While I have shown and described and have pointed out in the annexed claim certain novel features of the invention, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes in the forms, parts and details of the devices illustrated and in their operation and connection to and in electric circuits may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention.

This application is a division of my oopending application Serial No. 154,065, filed December 11, 1926.

I claim:

An oscillator comprising a vitreous envelope, leads sealed into said envelope, each of said leads terminating in an electrode of a spark gap, a spark quenching material in said envelope, an electrostatic condensing surface withinsaid envelope and connected to one of said leads, and an inductance connected between the other of said leads and an electrostatic condensing surface mounted outside said envelope in cooperative relation with the first said surface.

Signed at Hoboken in the county of Hudson and State of New J ersey.-

LEROY J. BUTTOLPH. 

